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Book Summary and Reviews of Murder Mindfully by Karsten Dusse

Murder Mindfully by Karsten Dusse

Murder Mindfully

by Karsten Dusse

  • Critics' Consensus (10):
  • Published:
  • Apr 2026, 416 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

In this zen and zany crime debut, a shady lawyer transforms his life through mindfulness—and uses his newfound techniques to kill his way to the top. Original series now streaming on Netflix.

Criminal defense lawyer Björn Diemel has been given an ultimatum: repair his work-life balance, or his wife will leave him—and take their daughter.

He reluctantly starts a mindfulness course, and to his surprise, it's a revelation. He becomes calmer, happier, and more focused as he starts to understand what's really important in life. When his worst client, brutal crime boss Dragan Sergowicz, tries to interfere with his precious family time, Björn discovers that even murder can be a mindfulness exercise to protect his peace.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"A one-joke suspenser whose marvelously rich joke is worth every one of its 416 pages." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Although both are delightful, I must confess that I prefer the book [to the show], primarily for its hilariously convoluted rationalizations on the part of the first-person narrator, Björn, vis-a-vis his newfound hobby: killing people." —BookPage (starred review)

"Dusse pairs brisk plotting with a sardonic send-up of self-help culture, keeping the suspense taut while supplying plenty of laughs. The result is an inventive, endlessly surprising comic thriller." —Publishers Weekly

"Dusse's darkly humorous book is perfect for readers looking for an Office Space meets Dexter-style romp ... It is easy to see why this German import has already been turned into a Netflix show." —Booklist

"Wickedly funny, delightfully charming ... a joy to read from start to end. Take a deep breath and get ready to laugh your way through this propulsive murder mystery. Headspace meets Dexter." —Nina Simon, New York Times bestselling author of Mother-Daughter Murder Night

"A razor-sharp satire on stressed-out modern society, a darkly comic and hugely entertaining crime thriller and—believe it or not—also a handy guide to improving your life through mindfulness." —Robbie Morrison, author of Edge of the Grave

This information about Murder Mindfully was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

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Author Information

Karsten Dusse

Karsten Dusse is an attorney and worked for many years as an award-winning TV writer. His debut mystery, which draws heavily from his own mindfulness practice, was the bestselling paperback of the year in Germany. All five novels in the resulting series have since reached the top of Germany's bestseller lists. His novels have been translated into thirty languages and adapted worldwide as a Netflix series.

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